It looks like the settlement talks between AT&T and the Justice Department about AT&T buying Warner Bros. has ended in failure.

I know that WB had a good year overall, but between Justice League underperforming, them needing to semi-reboot the DCEU after Aquaman, Fox selling off its movie branch to Disney, and now this, this is a terrible way to end the year.

Finally got around to watching Ghostbusters (2016) since I got it for free by linking my iTunes to another streaming service...

Quite possible one of the worst movies Ive sat through this year.I mean this movie...I have no attachment at all to the original Ghostbusters other then I think the theme song is sort of catchy, but this movie just was bad. The jokes didnt land, the dialogue was cringe. Chris Hemsworth's character was intentionally made extremely stupid for no reason...the villain was basically a MRA who lived in his mothers basement...

Out of that lineup, the only one I'm interested in and hope they successfully make into a quality film (or however many they want) is Dungeons & Dragons.

If they make it past 2019, they will probably try to get G.I. Joe off the ground as their priority franchise, maybe Micronauts as well. Reality often reflects the skewed priorities of people and producers.

Out of that lineup, the only one I'm interested in and hope they successfully make into a quality film (or however many they want) is Dungeons & Dragons.

If they make it past 2019, they will probably try to get G.I. Joe off the ground as their priority franchise, maybe Micronauts as well. Reality often reflects the skewed priorities of people and producers.

I just see Paramount as a doomed company. Far more then Sony and that's saying something. They will either go under or get bought out by Disney, with Terminator, the rights now back with James Cameron, winding up making Terminator movies for either WB or MGM via the revived Orion studios.

I think the fact that a healthy and successful studio like Fox that was in much less of dire financial straits than Paramount could be bought out by Disney like it was nothing also shows that Paramount's time as an independent studio is very likely going to come to a close. Comcast, Time Warner or MGM might end up buying Paramount wholesale.

As for Dungeons and Dragons, well my fantasy craving remains ever strong.

I think the fact that a healthy and successful studio like Fox that was in much less of dire financial straits than Paramount could be bought out by Disney like it was nothing also shows that Paramount's time as an independent studio is very likely going to come to a close. Comcast, Time Warner or MGM might end up buying Paramount wholesale.

As for Dungeons and Dragons, well my fantasy craving remains ever strong.

That or Paramount sells off it's IP's to multiple studios.

If Paramount goes down or is bought out by Disney, then the game in Hollywood massively changes.

MGM is not going to buy Paramount, they are smaller than Lionsgate now and rely on failing Major studios like Sony and Paramount to co-produce and distribute films. Disney ALSO is not likely to buy Paramount as they would be entering antitrust territory and Paramount needs something of value to offer for the price they'll pay. GI Joe isn't going to cut it. Fox worked because Fox had X-Men, F4 AND the distribution rights to the OT Star Wars trilogy (Empire and Jedi until 2020 and ANH forever), among many other profitable ventures like Family Guy and the Simpsons.

If anyone gets it I'd say

1. WB (they are the second largest studio in Hollywood now)2. Lionsgate3. Universal is a fringe dark horse candidate just because Comcast seems desperate to compete.

Or Paramount can go through bankruptcy ala MGM and come out the other side to see where they are.

MGM is not going to buy Paramount, they are smaller than Lionsgate now and rely on failing Major studios like Sony and Paramount to co-produce and distribute films. Disney ALSO is not likely to buy Paramount as they would be entering antitrust territory and Paramount needs something of value to offer for the price they'll pay. GI Joe isn't going to cut it. Fox worked because Fox had X-Men, F4 AND the distribution rights to the OT Star Wars trilogy (Empire and Jedi until 2020 and ANH forever), among many other profitable ventures like Family Guy and the Simpsons.

If anyone gets it I'd say

1. WB (they are the second largest studio in Hollywood now)2. Lionsgate3. Universal is a fringe dark horse candidate just because Comcast seems desperate to compete.

But WB has a lot of debt and that planned deal with AT&T would have got rid of that. Now that they are fighting an anti-trust lawsuit, they can't do that. That means only Lionsgate and Universal can buy Paramount.

Or Paramount can go through bankruptcy ala MGM and come out the other side to see where they are.

MGM is not going to buy Paramount, they are smaller than Lionsgate now and rely on failing Major studios like Sony and Paramount to co-produce and distribute films. Disney ALSO is not likely to buy Paramount as they would be entering antitrust territory and Paramount needs something of value to offer for the price they'll pay. GI Joe isn't going to cut it. Fox worked because Fox had X-Men, F4 AND the distribution rights to the OT Star Wars trilogy (Empire and Jedi until 2020 and ANH forever), among many other profitable ventures like Family Guy and the Simpsons.

If anyone gets it I'd say

1. WB (they are the second largest studio in Hollywood now)2. Lionsgate3. Universal is a fringe dark horse candidate just because Comcast seems desperate to compete.

But WB has a lot of debt and that planned deal with AT&T would have got rid of that. Now that they are fighting an anti-trust lawsuit, they can't do that. That means only Lionsgate and Universal can buy Paramount.

Or Paramount can go through bankruptcy ala MGM and come out the other side to see where they are.

Perhaps, but Time Warner rivals Comcast in size because of all the subsidiaries and IIRC AT&T is fighting the antitrust because they would have been the parent company. That said, you make a lot of sense as to why Warner would be out.

I think any of the companies going for Paramount are wasting their time but go for it. I am also thinking Lionsgate is out of the running. Their comments regarding the Disney-Fox and AT&T-WB mergers make me think they aren't going for anything major. That would leave Universal. Comcast could go for Sony and Paramount if they are keen on fighting with Disney and WB.

MGM is not going to buy Paramount, they are smaller than Lionsgate now and rely on failing Major studios like Sony and Paramount to co-produce and distribute films. Disney ALSO is not likely to buy Paramount as they would be entering antitrust territory and Paramount needs something of value to offer for the price they'll pay. GI Joe isn't going to cut it. Fox worked because Fox had X-Men, F4 AND the distribution rights to the OT Star Wars trilogy (Empire and Jedi until 2020 and ANH forever), among many other profitable ventures like Family Guy and the Simpsons.

If anyone gets it I'd say

1. WB (they are the second largest studio in Hollywood now)2. Lionsgate3. Universal is a fringe dark horse candidate just because Comcast seems desperate to compete.

But WB has a lot of debt and that planned deal with AT&T would have got rid of that. Now that they are fighting an anti-trust lawsuit, they can't do that. That means only Lionsgate and Universal can buy Paramount.

Or Paramount can go through bankruptcy ala MGM and come out the other side to see where they are.

Perhaps, but Time Warner rivals Comcast in size because of all the subsidiaries and IIRC AT&T is fighting the antitrust because they would have been the parent company. That said, you make a lot of sense as to why Warner would be out.

I think any of the companies going for Paramount are wasting their time but go for it. I am also thinking Lionsgate is out of the running. Their comments regarding the Disney-Fox and AT&T-WB mergers make me think they aren't going for anything major. That would leave Universal. Comcast could go for Sony and Paramount if they are keen on fighting with Disney and WB.

Universal needs a long term plan. I remember how you said on JPL that the JP franchise rights go back to the Critchton estate after JW3/JP6. If Universal doesn't get back those rights, then they won't have much left. The F&F can only last for so long until people get tired of the stupidity(just ask Paramount with Transformers), the Dark Universe imploded via The Mummy bombing hard. the Bourne franchise can only last for so long too. I only see them as a company that's living in the moment right now.

I am assuming they will go hard at other Crichton novels like Micro, Dragon Teeth, Pirate Latitudes (obviously not all of these as I think Spielberg got the rights himself for a few and can shop it to whichever studio) to get something to use. Because yes they are on borrowed time. Fast and the Furious is ending at 10 so they have no time at all with that one.

You can almost do no wrong trying to adapt novels. I mean if you only used King, Clancy and Crichton, you'd have a great line up of films for years..as long as you did them right.